When Chhori was around 6 months old, I saw a dark line underneath her left ring finger. She had just started to crawl so I thought she had managed to hit her finger somewhere and it caused a blood clot under her nail. I just checked if she was OK and let it be.
When I cut the nail the next time I noticed that the new nail still had the line so I got a bit worried. I googled it and there were many posts from birth marks to cancer. So we visited our GP to make sure it was nothing to worry about. He checked her and referred her to a specialist to check it further just to be safe.
It took us almost 2 months to get an appointment and so we finally went for a visit on last Friday. We both took a day off work for the visit.
About 3 hours before the appointment time, I got a text letting me know that the doctor is running an hour late so we adjusted our day accordingly. When we arrived there, we had to wait around 5-10 minutes before it was our turn. In that time, we filled out the paper work and made sure Chhori didn’t break anything while she was busy exploring the place. She has become so active recently that she needs a full time minder when we are out and about. I was scared she might hurt herself or break something.
Anyway, when it was out turn the doctor came in and introduced herself. She checked Chhori’s nail and said that it was just a mole and there was nothing to worry about which was quite a relief. She took a photo of her finger in her phone, also under a microscope and asked us to come back next year so she can examine Chhori again for any changes.
I was confused for a while because she was literally done in less than 2 minutes and it was all over so quickly. I can understand that she was busy and all that but we paid $235 for the consultation and it was done in 2 minutes.
I am super happy that Chhori is OK and we don’t have to worry about it but at the same time I don’t understand how a dermatologist can get away with charging $235 for a 2 minutes consultation. I guess I am in the wrong profession.
Does anyone out there have a similar experience? Do you think the doctors are getting more money than the service may be worth?
Take care,
M from nepaliaustralian
XOXO
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nepaliaustralian 
Not sure. Becoming doctor is time and money intensive. Specialist at that, and making a name for self does come with expensive services. So, like we pay for brands in retail market, the same applies to few docs. Yes doctors are expensive and are needed. My consultations with dr usually ends under 10 minutes and bills – let’s not even get there.
On the other hand, dr’s are exposed to so many diseases by various patients, they can be sued by the patients, hardly get any break from seeing patients every day. It is a hard battle too. Hard to say, if they are over paid. How do we even attest a value for such services?
I understand your point and yes they spend time and money to become a doctor. I am OK for them to charge this money as well. All I am asking is pending some quality time with patience so we don’t feel cheated. I would have been more than fine if she was with us for at least 10 minutes and checking Chhoris’ all nails and education us bit more on what happen to her.
Funny, I was impressed that they texted you to let you know the doctor would be late. I think most doctors here would just let you show up and wait!
That said, that was one pricey visit!
You are right that I need not wait on their reception area for 3 hours but they can hire extra staffs with the ridiculous amount of money they charge I guess.
I didn’t think of it this way – huge expenses, so of course they have people to call about being late!
This is infuriating. I just had an appointment with my doc. She just looked over my blood work and told me I would have to see another doctor. Ten mins in and out of the hospital. I got a bill for $300 (?!?!)
That is too expensive. Serious, just to refer to another doctor. They should have a rule on how much they could charge.
Sadly, this is what motivates some (many?) to study and the practice medicine. It is a shame.
It is so true 😦
Wow, that is a shocking price tag.. Health insurance doesn’t cover dermatologist visits? I am glad your chhori is fine. She is too cute. 🙂
Health insurance doesn’t cover dermatologist visits and they are super expensive as i found out :(. Thank you, she is growing up and very active these days 🙂
What, so expensive? Isn’t health insurance covering such things usually? I had tons of such appointments but I have no idea how expensive they might be at all :p
Our health care only cover basic stuffs so for something live this we will be out of pocket 😦
Oh, I only know about the public health care in Germany and Finland in which everything is either for free or costs only a very small amount
That is so good, here not everything is covered.
Legal robbery. That is plain ridiculous and if there was far less greed in the world today, it would be a much nicer place
I know and I need to pay the same amount when I visit her in year’s time.